Shadows Ascending
by Rahar Moonfire
Summary: Sequel to 'Shadow Relations.' When Ryou & Bakura are captured, Marik asks the Pharaoh for help. Since Kaiba has some unfinished business is another reality involving Yami & Yugi, he decides to kill two birds with one stone. Meanwhile, Ryou and Bakura must escape their father in a reality where the only things worth killing for are more time & something new, like a living Ka and Ba.
1. Missing

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for the delay in updating this series. I promise to be more prompt in the future. Basically, something significant happened in my real life last year that I wasn't ready for at all: emotionally, mentally, etc. I broke up with my fiance It was the right decision and I don't regret it, but it was hard for a good long while there.

It made me lose the energy to write. The desire was there (it never went away), but the will to go through with it vanished. That just made it harder. It was like wanting desperately to eat food when you have a stomach virus, but knowing anything you do eat will just get thrown up. It was miserable.

Thankfully, my mate **Raelyn_Sakura** was there as were my family and several other close friends to help me through that event. It took a while for the will to write to return though. I had to get lost in another series I started (by accident!) before I realized I _writing again!_

But now I'm back, and I'm ready to get this thing written. I'm working on a thesis for my Master's though while taking full time classes in college and working so I don't have _too_ much time, but I have enough time. This fic and my other fic _Warmth_ are now my main focuses writing-wise. Other than my thesis, of course.

So get ready to get this show on the road. ^_^ **  
**

 **Chapter summary:** In which Marik is frantic, the Pharaoh is short, and the Priest arrives. **  
**

* * *

 **Shadows Ascending**

 **1: Missing**

It wasn't until he stepped out of the bathroom that he first noticed something wasn't right. Ryou's studio was small and, with the exception of the bathroom, was practically without privacy. Other than the built-in wardrobe and maybe under the futon couch, there wasn't any place where a full-grown person could hide.

That being said, where was Ryou?

Marik frowned when he caught sight of the empty mug by the electric kettle on the kitchenette counter. If Ryou had been brewing tea, then he wouldn't have wandered off for long. The Scribe did love his tea, Marik thought with a smirk.

Maybe Ryou had just gone to take out the trash. If that was the case, then he would be back in a couple minutes. He unwound the towel from his head and tossed it over the back of the lone foldable chair across from the futon couch. Normally he wouldn't wear dirty clothes after showering. But since he planned on taking it off again later when he fucked Ryou, he supposed he could break his rule this one time.

He went back into the bathroom and grabbed his brown cargo pants, pulling them on as he hopped back into the main room of the apartment. He crouched down and swiped his purple hoodie vest from the futon and pulled that on too. All he needed now was a hair brush or something to tie his hair up while it dried.

He began pulling out drawers in the built-in kitchenette. That was when he noticed the still full trashcan in one of the larger pull-out drawers. Unnerved by the discovery, Marik pushed the trashcan drawer back into its place and turned to face Ryou's apartment.

The music Ryou must have turned on while Marik was still in the shower still played softly in the background. The light from the streetlamps outside still filtered in through the sheer curtains hanging over the window. by the scanned the room visually before reaching out with his Shadows. He felt the souls of the neighbors in the apartments around Ryou's, but no one else. Cautiously, Marik extended his search to the hallways of the building, then out to the street below, then further out into the city, then as far as he could reach.

Nothing.

He forced his Shadows to stretch as far as they possibly could, squeezing his eyes shut and wincing. He searched, opening himself as far as he dared until the strain of overextending himself forced him to stop. When his consciousness returned to his body, he was on his hands and knees gasping and sweating.

They were gone. Both of them. How? Where? Why?

Marik felt the Shadows, searching for a gap in the Dark. He hadn't felt anything out of the ordinary. Sure enough, there was no gap. Everything felt normal. The Balance was perhaps a bit weaker than he was used to it being. But other than that, everything felt normal.

So what had happened to Ryou and Bakura? Where were they?

Biting back the growing fear in his gut, Marik dug into his pants pocket for his phone. He pulled it out and quickly called Ryou's phone. It took more self-control than it should have for him to keep his heart rate from fluttering frantically.

It rang through the speaker by his ear. It also rang from the floor underneath the futon couch. Marik dropped to his knees and scanned the floor for Ryou's cellphone. He found it half hidden by the fuzzy throw rug that covered part of the floor. Ryou never went anywhere without his phone. Bakura sometimes did, until Marik gave him an earful about the problems of being unreachable.

Like now.

He needed to contact the Pharaoh and inform him of Ryou and Bakura's disappearance, if he didn't know already. Normally, Marik wouldn't have been so concerned about his boyfriends vanishing for an hour or so. But considering the crazy situation they'd left in Greece with Ares, the Priest was feeling somewhat overprotective.

On second thought, perhaps he should contact Ishizu first. Maybe Shaadi had come to take the Thief and Scribe back to Egypt without telling Marik. It certainly wouldn't be the first time Shaadi had done something like that. Honestly, did the Advisor never learn when to stop meddling?

Clutching his boyfriend's phone in one hand, Marik dialed his sister on his own phone and waited impatiently for her to pick up. When she did, she sounded exhausted. He winced in sympathy. He'd probably woken her up.

 _"Hello?"_ Ishizu mumbled into the phone, her voice husky from sleep.

"Sister," Marik said, leaning against the corner of the kitchenette. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

 _"Mm, no,"_ she said. _"I haven't gone to bed yet. I was taking a bath."_

"You had better have taken it alone," Marik grumbled habitually, crossing his arms over his chest.

The Priestess heaved a sigh that was practically a groan. _"If you called me just to complain about Shaadi, then I'm hanging up,"_ she said. _"I'm too tired to mediate right now."_

"No!" Marik said a bit too hastily. "Don't hang up."

 _"Marik?"_ Ishizu asked. _"Are you alright?"_

The Priest dropped his gaze to Ryou's phone in his hand, brushing a thumb over the as he struggled to find the words. "Have you seen Ryou or Bakura?" he asked, trying his best to sound casual.

 _"Not since we left Greece,"_ Ishizu said cautiously. _"Why?"_

"Because they're gone," Marik said, walking to the apartment window. The city lights glittered spitefully in the darkness. "As in _gone_ gone. I can't feel them anywhere. I've reached as far as I can with my Shadows and nothing."

 _"What?"_ Ishizu gasped. _"When did this happen?"_

"That's just it," Marik said, gesturing helplessly. "They were here when I went to take a shower. I come out and they're gone."

 _"Are you sure they didn't go-"_

"I'm sure," Marik said, thumping his forehead against the windowpane in exasperation. "Ryou was brewing tea. The kettle's finished, his mug has sugar in it but nothing else, his music is still playing, I've tried calling his phone but no response, I've-"

 _"Alright, alright, calm down,"_ the Priestess said. _"Have you contacted the Pharaoh? Maybe he knows where they went."_

Marik shook his head, stepping away from the window to sit on the futon couch. "He's still with that Faerie in Faerie-topia," he said, letting his head hang. He sighed and ran a hand over his head. "I do not need this right now," he grumbled. "We _literally_ just finished dealing with the Greeks. We're all tired and in no shape to deal with-"

 _"Marik, calm down."_

Obediently, Marik closed his eyes and focused on taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

 _"Now,"_ his sister said in a calm voice, _"we have no proof yet whether Ryou and Bakura have been taken or if they just left on their own."_

"They wouldn't do that," Marik said wearily.

 _"True,"_ Ishizu agreed. _"But we don't know if the other option is viable either."_

"But I can't feel them, Ishizu," Marik argued. "I literally cannot feel them. I couldn't even catch a hint of their Shadows." His eyes narrowed. "Sister, did Shaadi take my boyfriends again?"

Ishizu sighed. _"No, Marik. He didn't. He's with me at the moment. Shaadi,"_ she said, her voice becoming distant, probably turning her head to talk to the Advisor. _"Is Kaiba awake yet?"_

Mumbled words in the Advisor's soft, distinct tones filtered through the phone speaker. Unfortunately, whatever Shaadi said was too soft for Marik to make out.

 _"Shaadi can't reach Kaiba so he's probably resting,"_ Ishizu said. _"It's about time,"_ she added in a tone Marik knew all too well.

He snorted despite his growing anxiety. Kaiba was wise to choose Ishizu as his Priestess. But Marik was ninety-eight percent certain the Regent had not been prepared for the mothering Ishizu Ishtar was capable of. She worried over anyone under her watch like a circling hawk hunting prey.

 _"Marik."_

Marik instantly lifted his head and focused on his sister's words. "I'm still here," he said.

 _"Good,"_ she said gently. _"Now, try contacting the Pharaoh. He might know where your boyfriends are. If he doesn't, then he may be able to help you find them."_ The faint whistle of what sounded like a kettle rang from the background on Ishizu's end of the call. _"Could you get that?"_ Ishizu called, her voice muffled as she turned her head away to speak to Shaadi.

Marik sighed. "Alright," he said. "I don't know where he is, but I'll try-"

 _"About that,"_ his sister said suddenly, _"try reaching downward with your Shadows."_

"Down?" Marik parroted in confusion. "What? You mean down into the earth? Like underground?"

 _"No,"_ the Priestess said. _"I mean allow your consciousness to enter to Shadows as if you're about to Travel, then, instead of reaching out horizontally, try reaching downwards."_

"Wha- I mean, okay, but why?" the Priest asked. "What does that do?"

 _"It's how Kaiba, Shaadi, and Mai traveled to the other reality,"_ Ishizu said.

Instantly, Marik sat upright, his eyes wide.

 _"It was Green Arrow's idea,"_ Ishizu continued. _"Think of our reality as anything within reach on the horizontal plane. The other realities are on the vertical plane."_

Marik narrowed his eyes as he mulled over this new information. "Would that work with different dimensions?" he pressed. "I doubt the Pharaoh is in another reality. I can still feel the Dark and it's not… It's still here, if you know what I mean."

 _"I do,"_ his sister said. _"It may work, it way not. But it's worth a try."_

"Is that how you figured out Mokuba was in another reality and not just somewhere else in this reality?" Marik asked curiously.

 _"Yes."_ She sighed. _"I honestly don't know if this will work,"_ she admitted hesitantly, _"but it is worth a try."_

Marik nodded even though he knew she couldn't see. "I'll give it a go," he said. "If it works, I'll let you know."

 _"Thank you,"_ Ishizu said. _"I'll keep watch over your progress from here."_

"Don't strain yourself," Marik said, closing his eyes and focusing on his Shadow senses.

 _"I won't,"_ the Priestess said. _"I doubt Shaadi will let me."_

A blonde eyebrow twitched. "One day, I swear-"

 _"Watch your words, brother,"_ Ishizu warned.

Rolling his eyes, Marik grumbled. "I'll call you later," he said.

 _"Please do. Be safe, brother."_

"When am I not?"

 _"Always."_

Before his sister could elaborate, Marik hung up and let his hands drop to his lap. He studied both his and Ryou's phones in his palms. After a moment, he clutched them tightly and closed his eyes, drawing his Shadows to him. They came whispering and grasping to his call. Their words were a mesh of voices that clamored over each other despite never growing in volume.

He shushed them with a firm thought, waiting for them to calm and begin swirling around him, waiting for his command. When he was ready, he allowed his consciousness to drift into the Shadows' clutches, feeling them writhe with him, whispering their excitement, ready for the hunt. He grinned both here and in the human world as the Shadows' enthusiasm infected him.

Then he plunged downwards, feeling for a 'bottom' of some kind. Was there a bottom? He couldn't feel one no matter how far he reached. However, curiously, the further down he dove, the further he felt the Pharaoh's signature Darkness drift. He stopped his descent and lifted his Shadow senses upwards. If down led to alternate realities, then would up lead to alternate dimensions?

No reason not to try.

His Shadows surged upwards, carrying his consciousness with them. He was lost in a cloud of whispers and brushes, continually climbed. When the Pharaoh's Darkness neared, he knew he was heading the right direction. He felt a tingle but ignored it. He hadn't reached the Pharaoh yet. Another tingle, again he ignored it. A third tingle and this time he slowed to a stop.

The Pharaoh was here. He knew it. He could _feel_ it. He could _hear_ it. The Pharaoh's Shadows whispered incessantly, speaking of Osiris, or the Darkness, of the Light, of curiosity, of worry, of the Regent. Marik felt his body smirk. The Regent was here too. The Shadows of the Balance were soft, resting, but they were here. So was the Balance's Fulcrum and the Knight. Everyone in one place.

Everyone except the Thief and the Scribe.

He could feel a slight strain on his Shadows from diving so deeply for so long. He would have to come out of this soon. Might as well come out here, if he could.

First, he needed an anchor of some kind just in case. He lashed out with his Shadows, tangling with the Pharaoh's Shadows and yanking hard. He felt the Pharaoh stumble in surprise before he was suddenly the focus of the monarch's full attention. The full force of the Pharaoh's Darkness would have intimidated any Balance, except the Regent, and terrified any Light. But it was a warm welcome to the Priest of the Dark Tried; a welcome which Marik readily accepted.

* * *

"Arawn?" Yugi asked, moving closer to the Unseelie King. "Are you and King Pwyll okay?"

The Fae studied the Shadow user before handing Pwyll over to his wife and getting to his feet. Standing straight, he towered over Yugi. His black clothes, stark white hair, and blood red eyes carved an intimidating figure against the Otherworld's sky. Arawn crossed his arms and aimed a glare the Shadow King.

"What, by the Caldron, was that?" he demanded in a voice that made it very clear he would not accept anything less than the truth.

Yugi hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It was…" He sighed. "I'm not really sure how to explain it, but… Someone named Paradox tried to destroy the Shadow Realm which caused…that."

A thick white eyebrow lifted to Arawn's hairline in disbelief. "Paradox?" he said in a flat tone.

Yugi shrugged helplessly. "I doubt it's his true name," he said. "But that's the name he gave us."

"The guy had mor' 'n a few screws loose, if ya know what I mean," Jounouchi said, stepping up so he stood next to his friend. "Crazy wack-job."

Arawn's eyes narrowed but it was Pwyll who spoke, his words slow but sure despite his dizzy disposition. "If this Paradox attacked your Shadow Realm, then why did it affect the Otherworld?" he asked. "Nothing should cause such destruction in this realm like that except the end of the world."

"Well," Jounouchi drawled, "it _was_ the end of the world, so…"

"What?" the Fae woman by Arawn's side gasped. She stood, easily supporting a still woozy looking Pwyll on one shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"What you say cannot be true," the Seelie King said, easing himself up so he stood on his own. He flashed Arawn a reassuring smile when the Unseelie glanced worriedly at him. "The seers would be unable to see the future if there was none to see," he said, turning his attention back to the Shadow users. "I know they have seen far into the future. I consulted with them myself only two days ago."

"Yeah, 'bout that," Jounouchi said, scratching his head awkwardly. "See, this Paradox dude, he's not fr'm aroun' 'ere. We kinda had to fight 'im in another reality."

"The Shadow Realm?" Arawn pressed.

Yugi shook his head. "No," he said. "Another reality. Another Earth." He flushed. "I know this might sound ridiculous but the Shadow Realm is connected to every Earth in existence. All of them. Paradox was trying to destroy the Shadow Realm and very nearly succeeded which resulted in time breaking down across the Earths in the multiverse."

"It's possible not all of the Earths were affected," the Pharaoh said, materializing next to the young King startling the Fae. "The Earth in this reality was most likely affected due to its relative proximity to the reality where Paradox was staging his assault."

The female Fae considered the Pharaoh curiously. "I suppose you're the Pharaoh I've heard so much about," she said.

"I am," Yami said, nodding to her respectfully.

The woman hummed and reached out to pat the Pharaoh on the head, catching the monarch off guard. "Hmm, I thought you'd be taller," she said.

The Pharaoh wilted, a brilliant red flush in his cheeks. Next to him, Yugi smiled awkwardly.

"I'm plenty tall," Yami said in an offended tone, although his words were drowned out by the Unseelie King's uproarious laughter. He snarled in annoyance.

"Woman after my own heart, indeed," Arawn crowed proudly. Next to him, Pwyll sighed in tired amusement. "My lords Atum," Arawn said, "I would like you to meet my wife, Primula. Together we keep the Unseelie Court on their toes with ease."

"I'm sure," the Pharaoh said, sulking.

Yugi sighed and nudged his Ka affectionately. Jounouchi, however, had slapped both hands over his mouth and looked about ready to explode from the effort of holding back his laughter. However, the Knight knew better than to tease Yami about his and Yugi's height, or lack thereof. They were both a bit touchy about that subject.

Too bad laughter took precedence. All it took was for Yugi to glance at his Knight and snort and Jounouchi lost it. The Knight laughed so hard he could barely stand. Even the Pharaoh's formidable glare did nothing to stop the endless flood of laughter.

Blue Eyes lifted her head slightly from the ground, her glittering blue eyes watching the scene with interest. A soft, deep-throated rumble reverberated from her throat in what could be considered a chuckle. The Pharaoh shot her a look which she returned with a toothy grin.

 _:I have lived with your cousin of old for too long, Pharaoh,:_ she said in the minds of those present. _:As it happens, you are short. Seto towers over you.:_

"Well," Jounouchi said, finally beginning to recover from his laughing fit, "technically, Moneybags towers over everyone. Figuratively and literally," he added in a frustrated grumble.

The rumble returned. _:True,:_ Blue Eyes said, this time with her amusement clearly audible in her voice.

Soft laughter from the others present drew the dragon's attention. Blue Eyes lifted her head and turned her sharp gaze to the Greek Titaness seated by her brother's side in the sunlight.

"Well met," the Titaness said gently. She covered her husband's hand resting on her shoulder with her own as she spoke. "We owe you and your Regent our thanks for protecting my brother."

 _:I have never met your brother directly,:_ Blue Eyes said, dropping her nose respectfully, _:but I will say I and Seto have enjoyed your brother's company. Mokuba does as well. I am sorry we could not protect him from Ares.:_

Selene shook her head. "Do not apologize," she said. "You did what you could. That is more than I could ask for. I hope to convey my gratitude when your Regent awakens."

 _:You need not,:_ Blue Eyes said.

"Nevertheless," Endymion said, squeezing his wife's shoulder, "We wish to."

Blue Eyes rumbled. _:Very well. It would be appreciated. However, Seto will sleep for a few hours more at least.:_ Her teeth clicked. _:I will make sure of that.:_

"I'm sure you will," Selene said with a chuckle. Her silver-gray eyes drifted to her brother who still slept on the cushioned pedestal. "I believe my brother shall also rest," she whispered. "Though I wish for him to wake."

 _:He shall, Lady,:_ the dragon said. _:If there is one thing I have learned about your brother during the short while I have known him, it is that he has a strong will to live and protect. He will awaken.:_

The Titaness nodded. "Yes," she said, a smile playing on her lips. "I know he will. Though I would prefer sooner rather than later."

Blue Eyes snorted. _:Wouldn't we all,:_ she said wryly.

Suddenly, the dragon's eyes flashed and she lifted her head fully, gazing at the sky. Her mouth opened in a snarl that startled those present. Then the Pharaoh jolted, almost losing his footing at the same time Jounouchi yelped and darted behind Yugi. Both the Pharaoh and the Knight stared at something only those with Shadows could see while.

"Oh, by the Caldron," Arawn groaned loudly. "What now?"

"Nothing to worry about," the Pharaoh said, grinning. "Just another guest. It appears my Priest has decided to join us."

"What?" Pwyll gasped, his violet eyes wide in shock. "How?"

Before he could get an answer, a mass of inky blackness grew from the shadow cast on the patio from the tower of Avalon. The blackness coalesced in a humanoid form, then a pair of lilac eyes opened where the shadow person's head should be moments before the blackness faded away.

"Theatrical as usual, Marik," Yami said.

The Priest sniffed. "Coming from you, that's almost funny," he said. "But I didn't come here to put on a show." His eyes darkened to something dangerous. "Tell me Pharaoh," Marik said, his calm voice a stark contrast to the raging fury blazing in his eyes, "where are Ryou and Bakura? Where are my boyfriends?"


	2. Godly Rules

**A/N:** Posting this at 2:30am and I'm too tired to edit. I'll do that tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy~ **  
**

 **EDIT 3-26-17:** I corrected as many errors as I could find. I'm so sorry about the number of them. I must've been much more tired than I thought I was.

 **Chapter summary:** In which Marik intrudes, Pwyll explains the rules, and connections from the ancient past are made in the present.

* * *

 **2: Godly Rules**

Yami frowned, his carmine eyes narrowing in confusion. "Ryou? Bakura? What do you mean 'where are they'?" he said. "They were with you last I saw."

"Yes," Marik hissed. "Well they're not there now. And before you ask, no they did not just go out for the evening without me. I looked for them." Lilac eyes darkened with fury. "I looked everywhere for them. Even my Shadows couldn't find them. They're gone."

Stunned, the Pharaoh turned to Yugi who looked equally surprised. The young King shook his head slowly. "I-I'm sorry," Yugi said. "I have no idea where they went. But we can help you look for them."

"Yes, _after_ you tell me how you got here in the first place," Arawn said, eyeing the Dark Priest distrustfully.

Marik smirked. "Simple," he said. "I went up." He winked at the Unseelie King's confusion then glanced at the person standing awkwardly behind Yugi. Rolling his eyes, he said, "You do realize I can see you, right?" he drawled lazily.

"Yeah," Jounouchi said. "But I also know you wouldn't hurt Yugi."

"Who said anything about going through Yugi?" Marik scoffed. He grinned and Jounouchi squawked, leaping a full two feet in the air and flailing.

"That," the Knight cried, pointing a finger accusingly at the Priest, "was _not_ okay."

"Oh, boo-hoo. Hold on, I think I feel a tear coming," he said, holding up a hand to stop and interruptions. "Wait. Wait! Nope. Just another round of annoyance. False alarm." Jounouchi snarled to which Marik grinned.

"You," Jounouchi said slowly, "are a jerk."

"Guilty," Marik said proudly, not a hint of regret in his demeanor.

Yugi sighed and looked back over his shoulder at Blue Eyes who remained where she was, resting on the patio. Her glittering blue eyes watched the proceedings with interest even though her wing did not move from its position. Yugi doubted she would lift her wing and wake her sleeping charges until she was good and ready or until they woke on their own.

That could cause a few problems. First, although Yugi and Yami managed to travel between realities on their own, they suspected Kaiba had a better handle on it. He nibbled his lip in growing concern. Kaiba had been absent from KaibaCorp for several days now and Yugi doubted the explosion at the Regent's home had gone unnoticed by the media or law enforcement. The Japanese people as well as the employees of KaibaCorp and the enemies of the game mega-corporation needed to see Seto alive and well and continuing to forge ahead. Otherwise, confidence in KaibaCorp would begin to drop followed by stock prices and business deals.

There was also the matter of Helios. Yugi winced. The Titan of the sun had been harmed while under the Shadow Court's protection which meant his care was their responsibility. Yugi did not have the financial facilities to support Helios in the condition he was in. Kaiba did, however. The only other option was to leave Helios here in the Otherworld, but doing so would probably put the Court further in debt to the Fae. Neither the King nor the Pharaoh were willing to do that. They would bet their favorite card Kaiba would be against it too.

Last, but most certainly not least, was the whole debacle at Set's tomb. J'onn already inform them of the media frenzy that resulted from that fiasco. Someone would have to deal with the fallout of that and Yugi selfishly did not want to be the one to do it. He wanted to see his mother and Grandpa. He wanted to tell them he was alright. He wanted them to know he was safe. He wanted them to know he didn't run from the hospital for no reason. He wanted his family. He wanted to hug them, however childish that may sound.

 _:Aibou,:_ Yami whispered in his mind. _:_ _That is not childish. That is a natural desire.:_

Yugi hung his head wearily. He was just so tired. He cared about Ryou and Bakura. He truly did. Be he was tired. He just wanted to rest like Kaiba and Mokuba were doing now.

 _:We need to find them, Yami,:_ Yugi said with a sigh. _:I know we do. I'm just… Is it wrong to feel tired?:_

 _:No, it isn't,:_ Yami said gently, sending a pulse of comforting emotion to Yugi's mind. _:I too feel drained. But perhaps that makes finding our friends that much more important,:_ he said. _:We're vulnerable right now.:_

 _:What about Kaiba and Mokuba?:_ Yugi asked, turning his gaze to the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

 _:Kisara will protect them,:_ the Pharaoh said, following his partner's gaze. _:Nothing will ever stop her from do that, I don't think.:_

Yugi smiled. _:Much like Mahaad.:_

 _:Hm, yes. I suppose so,:_ Yami said.

Finally, Yugi hummed. "We'll help, Marik," he said, returning his gaze to the Priest. "But I..." He bit his lip, "We'll help," he said at last.

Marik studied his monarchy closely, reaching out and brushing their Shadows with his own. The response was immediate but told him everything that the King and Pharaoh would not say out loud. They were exhausted. Although their Shadows responded immediately to stimulation, it was clear they lacked their usual power. It irked the Priest to no end, but he knew the need to rest and recuperate. He of all people knew the consequences of overextending himself when using the Shadows. It was dangerous and threatened to dislodge the user's consciousness and, if they continued, their soul.

Reluctantly, Marik sighed. "Not right now, you won't," he said.

"What?" Yami gasped. "Marik what-?"

The Priest crossed his arms and leveled the Pharaoh with one of his best flat stares. "I'm not an idiot, Pharaoh," he said. "I'm not blind either. You two look like you're about to fall asleep on your feet." He took a deep breath, counted to three, and let it all out through his nose. "Look," he said after a moment, "get some sleep. I'll call my sister and the Lights and have them keep an eye out for Ryou and Bakura."

"But Marik," Yugi started, his heartfelt eyes wide with obvious concern, "it's okay. We want to help!"

Marik lifted a hand and held it, palm out so it practically pressed against Yugi's nose startling the King silent. "I know you want to help," he said, "but quite frankly I doubt you'll stay awake long enough to do anything useful."

"Oi!" Yami cried, affronted.

"Hush up, Pharaoh," Marik said dismissively. "Or I'll sic Ishizu on your ass."

Immediately, Yami shut his mouth and Yugi blinked, his shoulders drooping dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, Marik," Yugi said.

Marik eyed the young King before patting the boy's head fondly. "Just get some sleep, you two," he said. "I'm not the de fact leader of the Dark for nothing. Besides now that I know how to get here," he said, shooting the Fae watching him a smirk, "I'll be back. In the meantime, I'll wrangle the others into a search party. If we can't find either of my two favorite boy in twelve hours, then I'll call you."

Reluctantly, Yugi nodded. "Alright."

"I'll ask Ishizu to be the mediator between us and the Justice League as well," Marik added, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "I bet our resident Sleeping Beauty over there," he ignored the warning growl from Blue Eyes, "would be interested in knowing his precious kohai made it back to Starling City safe and sound."

Yugi smiled sheepishly. "He would."

Marik rolled his shoulders and lifted his eyebrows to his hairline briefly. "You three are the most baggage-heavy royalty I've ever had to deal with, you know that?" he grumbled.

"Well," Yami said, a cheeky smirk on his face, "consider the number of royal people you've had to deal with in the past added to a total of zero before me, I won't take offense to those words."

"Whatever," Marik drawled, rolling his eyes. "This gives me an excuse to keep Shaadi's hands off my sister so I'm not complaining. Yet," he added. "See you shortly, Yugi, Pharaoh."

Without another word, the Priest vanished in a whirl of Shadows.

"Dude could give Kaiba a run for his money in a game of who's-the-most-obnoxious," Jounouchi grumbled, crossing his arms in a huff.

* * *

Pwyll stepped away from Primula's support when he felt strong enough. He could feel Arawn's gaze on him but he paid it no heed. Honestly, Pwyll felt almost normal now. The weakness that had assaulted him earlier was gone. With the return of his strength, came the return of his power until he felt every inch the Seelie King he was once again.

"You're welcome to stay in Avalon," he said to the three Shadow Courtiers still standing before him, "but only until your Regent awakens. You must understand, the Otherworld is not known for being friendly to non-Fae."

"We understand," Yugi said, bowing to the Seelie King respectfully. "I apologize for the inconvenience."

"On the contrary," Pwyll said. "If Arawn has declared your Regent as his guest then I declare you as mine. Light, Dark, and Balance. A careful balance between the Seelie and Unseelie. Despite our differences, our two pantheons function in a similar manner; so you see why we find you fascinating."

"That being said," he continued grimly, "I would ask that your pantheon not intrude here at will. We choose not to take offense this time, but I doubt our people will be merciful should it happen again."

Both the King and the Pharaoh's expressions darkened.

"Pwyll's right, of course," declared Arawn. "You're here unmolested because we brought you here and gave you permission to remain. Consider it thanks for stopping the end of the world, although I still want to know the truth behind that and how your Priest made it here unaided."

Yugi's lips quirked upwards at the corners. "Would you consider that payment for our debt to you?" he asked shrewdly.

The Unseelie King started, then grinned hungrily. "Sneaky little King, aren't you," he said.

Yugi chuckled, taking no offense. "I've been told that on occasion," he chirped cheerfully. Behind him, Jounouchi snorted in amusement.

Arawn hummed. "Oh, very well," he said finally. "I suppose I'll consider your debt repaid in full. I'm sure we won't be seeing the last of each other any time soon, after all."

"No, I suppose not," Yami agreed.

Primula, slipped her arm around her husband's and tugged him back to the Avalon tower. "Come dearest," she said in a tone that made it clear no argument would be tolerated. "It's about time you checked on our people. Pwyll can handle it from here."

Arawn visibly sulked, but followed his wife willingly. He patted the Seelie King's shoulder companionably as he passed earning him a reassuring smile. Then he left without looking back.

"My word stands," Pwyll said, returning his gaze to Yugi. "You are welcome here, but do not stray out of Avalon and do not let anyone else from your pantheon come here. Your pantheon is young so I'll forgive the slight this time and explain the rules of non-interference."

"I'm sorry," Yugi said quickly. "We didn't know allowing Marik to come here was considered offensive."

"Indeed," Yami said, nodding his head. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Thank you," Pwyll said, accepting the apology with grace. "Come. This is something you should all hear."

Pwyll strode confidently up to the beautiful white dragon and said, "Can you hear me?"

 _:I can,:_ she replied.

"Then pass my words along to your charges when they wake," Pwyll said. He waited for the white dragon to nod before turning to face the others. "The rules of non-interference between pantheons are simple," he said seriously. "Never enter the sacred home of another pantheon without permission. Never set foot on another pantheon's sacred ground unless you seek to speak to them. Do not attack anyone under another pantheon's protection unless they attack first. Respect the boundaries of another pantheon and do your best not to interfere with them."

"That being said," the Seelie King said, narrowing his eyes, "if you are attacked by another pantheon or anyone under the protection of another pantheon, you are well within your rights to strike back. Self-defense is not considered an offense. In the old days, humans declaring allegiance to one pantheon would often try to bring down a god from another pantheon. The god under attack was allowed to defend themselves without fear of retribution from that human's preferred pantheon."

"Also, as gods yourselves, try not to actively convert humans from another pantheon to your own," Pwyll said. "That's something only humans can do. It's your job to protect, not to convert. If something you do or say causes a human to convert to your pantheon and a member of the former pantheon decides to take it personally, they have that right. Unless, the conversion was unintentional."

"What would be considered unintentional?" Yugi asked, listening to the Seelie King in rapt interest.

"Yes, and if the conversion _was_ unintentional, how would that be proven?" Yami added.

Pwyll tilted his head slightly, considering the question carefully before answering. "In that case," he said slowly, "someone from another, neutral pantheon would act as a mediator between the accuser and the accused. The mediator would then determine whether intention was deliberate or not."

"And if the accused is found innocent?" Yugi asked.

"If the accused is found innocent, then the accuser must step down or risk causing a war which none of us want," Pwyll answer. "If the accused is found guilty, then the accuser has the right to exact a fitting punishment on the guilty party."

"And how will the punishment be decided?" Yami pressed.

The Fae shrugged. "That is usually up to accuser's pantheon," he said. "Together they will determine a punishment that is considered equal to the crime. That punishment will need to be approved by the mediator before it's handed down, but it usually passes." The Seelie's violet eyes darkened. "No one wants to cause an inter-pantheon war. We… _They_ learned their lesson many years ago," he said, bowing his head.

"What happened?" Jounouchi asked.

Pwyll frowned. "I… It was before my time," he said hesitantly. "There are few people still alive who remember what happened." He glanced surreptitiously at the two Greek Titans. "Arawn knows the story better than I do," he said, changing the subject. "He doesn't like to talk about it, though. I had to get him drunk before he told me what he knew." He closed his eyes. "It was dishonorable of me," he admitted.

After a moment of silence, Pwyll took a deep breath, letting it out slowly through his nose before speaking again.

"Arawn said it started when a meteor fell from the sky," Pwyll began. "It fell on a small continent that no longer exists. The city-state of that continent was already formidable in regards to naval might. But after the meteor fell, they advanced in technology much faster than what was considered natural even by our standards. The people suddenly had powers they never had before, they could do things no living mortal should be capable of, and they decided to wage war on anyone they deemed lesser beings."

"The pantheons did not get involved at first," Pwyll said. "Humans fighting humans is not our concern. But then the humans of that place began seeking out and killing gods inciting tensions between pantheons. It wasn't until later that the pantheons of the time realized the meteor that fell to Earth had created a god who was directly behind the madness. By the time the pantheons _did_ realize the war wasn't just humans against humans but a god against gods, it was too late. They were overpowered. Some escaped unscathed, some were decimated but had enough of their infrastructure left intact for them to survive, while others were completely wiped out."

"Gods?" Yami breathed, his wine red eyes wide in horror. "Whole pantheons wiped out?"

Pwyll nodded. "The stone that served as that beast-god's power source had a debilitating effect on gods. It negated much of their power and rendered them essentially mortal. Those who survived the massacre wrote books on those events, but they are kept under strict lock and key," he said. "No human has ever read them. I'll see if I can have a copy made and sent to you."

"That would mean a lot," Yugi said gratefully. "What happened to the pantheons that survived? How did they stop the god of that city-state?"

"They didn't," Pwyll said simply. "It was the humans who stopped the war and ultimately the beast-god behind everything. The beast-god's defeat caused that accursed continent to sink into the depths of the ocean. However, although the beast-god was weakened after its defeat, it did not die or go down with its host continent. It hid in the sea, attacking ships and anyone who got too close to it. For some reason, the pantheons of the era couldn't track its movements or find and destroy the despicable stone that was its power source. It took another human to finally finish the job a century or so later."

"Or so we thought," he continued, his shoulders drooping. "When that despicable continent reappeared and the beast-god was seen in the skies several years ago, many pantheons feared the worst. Mine was one of them. Arawn wouldn't sleep until the continent disappeared. I… I've never seen his eyes so haunted before."

"Wait a second," Jounouchi whispered, his mind beginning to piece the event the Seelie King described with his own experiences. "This…beast-god thing… Was it, a giant snake?" he asked. "Like, a friggin' huge, water snake that can fly?"

Pwyll lifted his head and stared at Jounouchi oddly. "What makes you say that?" he said cautiously.

"It was, wasn't it?" the Knight demanded. "Holy shit."

"Jounouchi?" Yugi asked, staring at his friend in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"The Great Leviathan," Jounouchi said grimly, his eyes dull. "The meteor that fell t' Earth 'n gave those people all tha' power? The continent that vanished int' the sea? The beast-god-thing that was behind the attacks on th' pantheons?" Jounouchi snarled. "How much you wanna bet that was the Orichalcos of Atlantis and the beast-god was the Great Leviathan?"

"What?" Yami cried.

Pwyll frowned, his eyes widening in shock. He watch the Pharaoh reach out and grab Yugi's wrist, pulling the King close as if to reassure himself that Yugi was still there. The Shadow Courtiers' faces were positively gray with fright.

"How do you know that?" the Seelie King demanded.

It was the Pharaoh who eventually broke the ensuing silence. "Suffice it to say, we have a… history with the Leviathan and the Orichalcos."

Pwyll noticed the way the Pharaoh's grip on the King tightened and something dark and inherently dangerous gleamed in his eyes.

"How is that possible?" the Seelie King demanded insistently. "Your pantheon is young. It didn't exist that long ago. Even _Arawn_ wasn't alive yet when the war began."

"No," Jounouchi said, his eyes cast down as his body trembled in what Pwyll knew to be fear. "But we know three people who were."

The Knight glanced at the Pharaoh. When Pwyll followed Jounouchi's gaze, he saw Yami shake his head subtly and the Knight refused to speak further. This wasn't something the Seelie could have ever imagined. Either the Shadow Court was lying, although they had no reason to do, or they were telling the truth. Pwyll was leaning towards the latter, and that was what terrified him.

He would have to talk to Arawn about this.


	3. Restless

**A/N:** Wow. This is going up before midnight my time. I'm stunned. Now for sleep and work tomorrow. ...yay... Below are a few definitions of words I used in this chapter regarding Shaadi's clothing. I think I got it right, but if anyone knows better, let me know and I'll correct it.

Taqiya \- skullcap worn under a guthra

Guthra \- men's headscarf

Gallabya \- a long tunic without buttons or a proper neck. It comes in colorful and embroidered variations for women and in neutral colors for men.

 **Chapter summary:** In which Marik visits his sister, Shaadi gives a gift, and Ishizu searches. **  
**

* * *

 **3: Restless**

When he emerged from the Shadows, Marik was pleasantly surprised to find himself in his sister's bedroom. His sister and Shaadi were not so pleasantly surprised. Before Marik had the chance to react, he found himself on the receiving end of one of his big sister's signature right hooks. Ishizu was small in build, but she was nothing but muscle.

The moment her fist connected with Marik's unprotected cheek, his head snapped back and he stumbled back until he fell inelegantly on his butt. Immediately, Ishizu's eyes widened in shock and she dropped to her knees.

"Marik!" she cried. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you. Are you alright?"

Marik let Ishizu tilt his face to the side so she could check his injured cheek for any damage. He opened his mouth and rolled his jaw, reaching up to rub away the ache. Despite his pain, he laughed.

"Nicely done," he said, grinning. He could feel his lip starting to swell where he'd bitten it but he didn't mind in the least. "Next time, aim for Shaadi."

The Priestess's worry vanished in an instant, replaced by an unimpressed stare. "You're fine," she said, getting to her feet. "How did you get here? You didn't Travel all the way here, did you?" she asked, a flicker of concern sparkling in her eyes.

Pushing himself to his feet, Marik shook his head slowly. "No," he said. "But I did talk to the Pharaoh. Kaiba's sleeping with the Blue Eyes-" He snorted. "Literally," he added under his breath. Clearing his throat, he said louder, "But Yugi and the Pharaoh are awake. The Knight's with them."

"Good," Ishizu said, her shoulders sinking in relief. "Did they know where Ryou and Bakura are?"

"No," Marik said, shaking his head. "They didn't even know they were gone. Yugi, I understand. He's not Dark. But how could the Pharaoh not know? How could he not know two of his Triad were gone?"

"Can you still feel them at all?" Ishizu pressed, tugging her brother into the modest kitchen where the kettle was beginning to whistle.

"No, I can," he said. "If I could, I would have asked for help."

"Hmm." Marik leaned back against the kitchen counter watching his sister grasp the wooden handle of the kettle with a cloth to protect against the heat. "Tea?" she asked.

He sighed and nodded, rubbing his temple. He could feel the beginnings of a headache brewing. Perfect. Yet another thing to add to his growing list of Things Not Going Well Today.

"Did you take my advice?"

Looking up, Marik frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Going down," Ishizu clarified. "Did you try that?"

"I did, yeah," Marik said, crossing his arms. "It didn't work. I could actually feel the Pharaoh move further away from me if I went down."

"Further?" Ishizu set the kettle back on the cooling stove top and handed her brother a cup of steaming hot licorice tea. "What do you mean 'further?' He was in another dimension, wasn't he?"

"About that." Marik took the offered cup and held it up to his nose. He enjoyed the smell of his tea, but he wouldn't touch it until it cooled. He may be a masochist on occasion, under the right circumstances, of course, but he had no desire to scald his taste buds off. "I think that only works for Traveling between realities, not dimensions," he finished.

Ishizu hummed, tossed a few stray strands of ebony hair over her shoulder, and sipped her tea carefully. "And the Pharaoh was in another dimension," she murmured.

Marik nodded. "That's the best thing I could call it," he said with a shrug. "It's still in this reality, just out of reach of this…" he gestured helplessly, "plane of existence, I guess," he finished.

* * *

"Interesting." Ishizu took another sip of her tea, flinching minutely.

Marik snorted. "Hot?" he teased.

She took mercy on her brother and decided not to give Marik a matching bruise on his other cheek. "How did you get there?" she asked instead.

"I went up," Marik answered promptly. "I figured if down led to other realities, than up led to other dimensions or planes of existence that are separate but still part of this reality." He shrugged and finally tasted his tea. "It worked."

"What did they say?" she asked, nudging her brother subtly.

"I asked for their help but…"

Ishizu glanced at her brother when he fell silent and wasn't happy to see the weary disappointment clearly visible on his face. "Marik?" she pressed gently.

The Priest roused himself, taking a deep breath and straightening his back. "They looked exhausted, sister," he said, looking at her. "Like how you look after a particularly bad vision."

She dropped her gaze. "I see," she whispered. "They said no, then."

"No, they said yes," Marik corrected gently. "I told _them_ no."

She looked back at her brother in confusion. "I don't understand."

"I told them to get some sleep or I'd sic you on them," Marik said, shooting a sly glance at his big sister. Ishizu met the look with a flat stare which he found humorous. "I said I'd look for my boyfriends while they slept. If I can't find them in twelve hours, then I'd find them again and they'd help."

"That was wise of you," Ishizu said. "Even though I know it wasn't what you wanted," she added, rubbing her brother's back comfortingly. "I'll make some calls to get things moving," she said, pushing way from the counter. "In the meantime, you get some sleep."

Marik's head popped up in surprise. "What?" he gasped. "Sleep? Now?"

"Yes," Ishizu replied. "Now. If you're going to go chasing after those two, then you need to be awake and at full power. Ra knows how they like to cause trouble."

"Biased," Marik muttered.

"I'm the oldest," Ishizu said, flashing her brother a smirk. "I have that right. Now, bed."

She nodded to her bedroom and didn't look away from her brother until he finally obeyed her. Satisfied, she turned and made her way to the bathroom where Shaadi still was. His guthra was gone revealing his short black hair. The long scarf he usually wrapped around his shoulders was folded neatly on top of his gallabya on the top of the medicine drawer.

He sat on the edge of the bathtub feeling adjusting the temperature of the water as it steadily filled the tub. He looked up when Ishizu entered, his odd orange eyes unerringly meeting hers. He said nothing, but scooted over to make room for her should she wish to join him on the ledge. She took the invitation and took the opportunity to rest her forehead against his back.

Shaadi hesitated before turning his attention back to the water. "Are you well?" he asked softly.

She briefly considered nodding, before deciding against it. "I have a headache," she said just loud enough for Shaadi to hear her over the running water.

"You should rest," he said.

Ishizu winced but shook her head, knowing Shaadi would feel it. "I promised to look for Ryou and Bakura. Marik needs them."

"And you need rest," the Advisor said, turning the knob all the way until the water stopped running leaving the bathroom in silence. "You've overused your gifts over the past few days with little rest. If you truly wish to be successful in searching for those errant children-"

"Shaadi," Ishizu chided gently.

"-then you must rest yourself," Shaadi continued seamlessly. "Perhaps a vision will come to you while you sleep, perhaps not. Be that as it may," he said, tilting his head so he could see Ishizu from the corner of his eye, "the fact remains that you must rest. The events of the past few days have drained us all. We are vulnerable like this."

"You're right," the Priestess murmured without sitting up.

Finally, Shaadi shifted, forcing Ishizu to sit up and wait for him to settle. However, instead of settling, Shaadi turned so he faced her. He gently took her hands in his, lifting them to his lips. He pressed a feather-light kiss to them, holding them there and rubbing his thumb over her skin lovingly.

"I missed you," he whispered at last. He did not lift his gaze, but tightened his hold on her hands. "The other reality was enlightening but dull and formless without you."

Ishizu smiled and leaned down to place a kiss on Shaadi's short hair. "I missed you too," she said.

"I…" Shaadi straightened and took a deep breath. "I wish to give you something," he said, a faint flush of color in his dark cheeks.

He released one of Ishizu's hands to lean over and tug something from within the folds of his clothes. It was a plastic bag, commonly found at any store, with something dark colored inside. She could make out what it was, but it clearly meant something to Shaadi.

"I apologize for the lack of proper wrapping," he said, the blush filling his cheeks as he set the bag on the Priestess's lap. "I did not have the time to make it more presentable."

His lips twitched upwards in what Ishizu suspected was a shy smile. It was fleeting and gone almost as quickly as it appeared, but it was precious.

"I'm sure it's fine," she said with a smile, hoping to dissuade Shaadi's obvious discomfort.

She used her free hand to undo the tied handles of the plastic bag. With the tie undone, she tugged the opening wider so she could see the prize. When she did, she pressed her lips together, feeling tears prick her eyes.

"It matches your eyes," Shaadi said. "Mai helped me pick it out."

Ishizu smiled and ran her fingers over the soft, midnight blue silk. The gold threads swirled in simple yet elegant patterns along the edges of the scarf in a pleasing pattern. She lifted the scarf out of the bag and rubbed it against her face, letting her eyes slip shut at the softness.

"Does it please you?" Shaadi asked, his eyes wide with uncertainty. Even with her eyes closed, Ishizu could feel the Advisor's worry. His Shadows practically danced with tension.

Huffing a laugh, Ishizu smiled and tugged her lover close. With her free hand, she draped the scarf over Shaadi's bare shoulders and leaned forward so her head rested against his. "It does," she whispered. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Shaadi."

She could feel it the moment Shaadi relaxed. The tension drained from his muscles and a smile finally stayed on his lips. His Shadows brushed hers tenderly, coiling around her like mist by a riverbank. Her own Shadows moved with Shaadi's like ripples in a pond.

"I'm glad," he said.

She let go of the scarf and brushed her fingers over Shaadi's short hair, resting her hand on the back of his neck and pulling him into a soft kiss. There was no hidden meaning or desire behind the kiss and she didn't linger. She knew how uncomfortable Shaadi often got with these forms of expressing affection.

"Bathe," she said softly. She let her hand slip to Shaadi's bare shoulder, squeezing gently, before standing. She tugged the gifted scarf from her lover's shoulders as she stood. "Marik is using my bed for the night. I'll do a brief sweep with my Shadows for Ryou and Bakura. If I can't find them, I'll try to summon a vision."

"Ishizu," Shaadi said, his eyes narrowing minutely in worry.

"Only for a short while, I promise," she said. "If nothing comes, then I'll sleep."

Shaadi said nothing. He simply nodded and finished undressing before entering the water. Ishizu glanced back at him briefly, smiling fondly. Then she made her way to the chest of drawers in her bedroom where she kept everything she needed for ceremonies and such. Marik was sound asleep on her bed, sprawled on top of the sheets. Although she did her best to be quiet, Ishizu honestly doubted anything she did would wake her brother at the moment.

She clutched the stick of incense, one of her more basic incense burners, a box of matches, and a couple blankets still folded at the foot of her bed. Marik wasn't using them so they were fair game. Moving as silently as she could, Ishizu left her room, sliding the door closed behind her, and walked over to the chaise lounge in the living room.

The windows were thrown open to let the cooler night air flow into the room with the nighttime breeze. She dropped the blankets on the cushion next to her and placed the incense burner on the coffee table in front of her. She carefully placed the incense stick in the burner, struck a match, and lit it. Almost instantly, the scent filled her nose, calming her and easing the tension built up over the past few days.

She pulled her Deck out of its holder and placed it directly to the right of the incense burner, covering it with her hand. Slipping to the rug covered floor, the Priestess knelt and closed her eyes. Her shadows came at her summons, lapping at her mind like the waves of the ocean. She sighed at the sensation, the adoration and worship she felt from her Shadows soothing and encouraging her weary mind. They were hers to command just as she was theirs to adore.

They sensed her desire and flowed out from her, flooding the world around her. They reached as far as they could, feeling, seeking, searching for those who were lost. They found nothing. Frowning, Ishizu pushed herself, asking her Shadows to reach father. They obeyed willingly, wanting to please their Priestess. But again, she felt nothing.

Mildly frustrated, Ishizu stopped moving outward and pulled her Shadows back to her. If she couldn't feel the Scribe or the Thief here, then maybe she should try something else. Marik had said moving upwards in the Shadows took him to other dimensions that were part of this reality but separate. Perhaps she could look there.

Her Shadows swirled around her Shadow form, lifting her up through what felt like layers. She pierced the first layer with ease. It felt like breaking through the surface of the Nile after a pleasant swim. Her Shadows fanned out in this dimension, feeling for the lost ones, but again found nothing.

The Priestess didn't linger. Instead, she rose further, piercing yet another surface into another dimension. Again nothing. In the third dimension, she finally felt Shadows other than her own. The looming darkness like the deepest trenches in the sea wove around the clear, sparkling waters of the Caribbean. The Pharaoh and the King. If they were here, then…

Yes. Her Regent slept nearby. The roiling maelstrom that was her Regent was nowhere near as lively as she would have preferred, but that was just as well. She could feel the Keeper's cool spring bubbling eternally forth close to the maelstrom, feeding it, soothing it. Seto would recover his strength soon. Her Shadows felt the distinct presence covering her Regent and Keeper and smiled. The Priestess knew the Blue Eyes White Dragon sensed her presence, but did not reach out to her. Blue Eyes would protect her charges to the death. Ishizu had nothing to fear so long as Kisara was there.

The Pharaoh's darkness did touch her, however. It tugged her Shadows urgently, latching onto her and holding her in place. The clear waters joined the darker sending her a warning. Her Shadow form frowned at the message. It wasn't words, but was clear nonetheless.

 _:Leave. All is well here. But leave quickly.:_

Ishizu lifted her gaze to the other dimensions, sending a stream of Shadows up through the layers and feeling for any signs of Ryou or Bakura. Nothing. Satisfied, she obeyed her monarch's command and allowed herself to sink back to the physical plane.

Incense filled her nose, cementing her to this dimension. The tired ache in her body was not necessarily welcome, but comforting. She knew if she opened her eyes, she would be safely back in her body on her living room floor in Cairo, Egypt. But she couldn't stay. She promised to search, and search she would. If she couldn't look on this dimension or the others, then perhaps another reality would yield better results.

Taking a deep breath of incense filled air, Ishizu sank back into the Shadows and down into the depths. Eventually, she felt the bottom of this reality. She didn't dare push through, unsure of what would happen if she did. Would she travel to the other reality or would she not? That was something she wasn't willing to test until she had one of the Inner Court present to watch her and prevent her from making a potentially dangerous mistake.

She did, however, allow a single, slender stream of Shadow to funnel through the bottom until it just barely brushed the surface of another reality. She felt the Shadows there, but they were not strong like those of a Courtier. Nor were they as Dark as the Thief or the Scribe's Shadows. She continued to brush her tendril of Shadow across the delicate surfaces of other realities just below the bottom of her own.

Just when she was beginning to feel fatigue gnaw insistently at her mind and body, she felt something Dark. Without breaking through the barrier between realities completely, she could not be sure, but the Dark Shadows she felt were very similar to those belonging to her brother's boyfriends. She logged the relative location of this particular reality in her mind and slowly withdrew.

She took her time settling back into her body. When she finally felt her consciousness fully return, she heaved a deep sigh. While the information she'd managed to retrieve was not perfect, it was something. It gave her and Marik a good place to start looking.

However, if what she felt in that unknown reality were indeed the Shadows of the two missing Dark Triad members, then that raised several important questions. First, where was this reality exactly? Second, why were Ryou and Bakura there? Third, why were they there? And Fourth, how were they there?

As far as Ishizu knew, none of the Dark Triad knew how to travel between realities or dimensions until she explained the process to Marik herself. That aside, Ishizu knew the Thief and Scribe would never hop realities without either informing Marik or dragging him along for the ride. This time, neither had happened which led the Priestess to suspect trouble.

She sighed wearily, pushing herself to her feet, ignoring the ache in her knees from kneeing so long unmoving. Shaadi was already lying on the chaise lounge behind her, but his eyes were open and watching her. Without a word, Ishizu pulled herself up to the cushion and stretched out beside the Advisor, resting her head in the notch between his arm and chest. Shaadi draped the blanket over her to ward away the cold. When she felt his arm wrap around her shoulders, Ishizu finally let herself rest.

Her dreams, however, were anything but restful.


	4. Awakening to Gold and Blue

**A/N:** I wrote this chapter over a couple days. I am cramming because Finals are in 2 weeks and I'm running low on free time. I promise to be more regular once the semester ends at the end of April, but until then school comes first. Unfortunately. **  
**

**Side note:** Titus Abrasax is **_NOT_** an OC. He is a canon character from the world/series that will be the main crossover world in this fic: _Jupiter Ascending._ To those of you who already know him, no spoilers~ To those of you who don't, don't worry. You can read this fic and learn about him as you go or Google him if you want. Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy~

 **Chapter summary:** In which Ryou and Bakura meet someone who may or may not be a friend while hanging out and Kaiba and Seth finally reunite with someone they were beginning to fear they would never see or hold ever again.

* * *

 **4: Awakening to Gold and Blue  
**

They were going to be sick. Everything hurt. There was nothing. No Shadows. No people. No darkness. They were floating in…

The fuck?

Carmine eyes snapped open just as a jolt of adrenaline raced through them setting their nerves tingling with sensation and the desire to _run!_ But he couldn't run because he couldn't touch anything. He tilted his head back as far as it would go and saw the floor exactly four feet below him.

"What the fuck?" Bakura hissed, reaching out as far as he could.

No good. He couldn't reach. Snarling, he tried flipping his body over, only to find it wouldn't budge from its suspended position. Disconcerted, Bakura kicked. Again, nothing. He could move his body freely, but he was helpless to change his position or get out of this glowing column of bluish light.

What was this? The _X-Files_?

He snarled in growing frustration. Damn it all, he couldn't get out. At least not by the usual means. The Thief still had his Shadows.

But there were no Shadows.

Stunned, Bakura stilled, his red eyes widening in dawning horror. No Shadows meant no Shadow magic. No Shadow magic meant no Traveling, or summoning, or Spells, or Traps. No Shadows magic meant no way to call for help.

No Shadows meant no way to hold his and Ryou's fractured souls together. Without the Shadows, both Ryou and Bakura would die. That was simply unacceptable.

There was no way Bakura was going to let that happen. If he and Ryou couldn't escape using the Shadows, then they would have to rely on more conventional means. Unfortunately, they couldn't just hop out of this Osiris accursed floating light beam thing and make a run for it. They would just have to play the long game.

It would probably be better for both of them in the long run if The Scribe was in control when their captors, whoever those Roswell rejects were, decided to formally introduce themselves. Best wake his yadonoushi up then.

Carefully, he pushed the door to Ryou's soul room open. The Scribe's soul manifestation was asleep on the floor right where he'd fallen when they both lost consciousness. Muttering in mild annoyance, Bakura knelt and nudged his yadonoushi's shoulder. When his incarnation mumbled and blinked awake, Bakura sat back.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Ryou rubbing his soft brown eyes and sat up, rubbing his head. "I'm fine, I think," he said in a groggy voice. "Bit of a headache though."

Bakura scoffed. "No doubt," he said. His frown deepened. "Whatever those things did had better be short-lived. If we still have a headache in an hour from now, I'll kill every last one of those little gray bastards."

"Eh… I'd rather you didn't," Ryou said, wincing. "I don't think that would be the best idea. We don't even know where we are."

"True," Bakura admitted with a shrug. "But wherever it is, there are no Shadows."

"No-! _What?!"_ Ryou cried, stunned.

Before Ryou could demanded more information, Bakura yanked them both back to awareness with Ryou in control of their shared body. Ryou opened his eyes and gasped.

 _:Um, 'Kura,:_ Ryou's mental voice whispered. _:What happened? Where are we?:_

 _:I don't know,:_ the Thief replied, sounding thoroughly vexed. _:It's a gaudy place though.:_

 _:Gaudier than Egypt?:_ Ryou quipped, a teasing edge to his voice.

 _:Definitely.:_

Ryou snickered despite himself. It wasn't often the Thief described something as 'gaudy.' He couldn't resist a little teasing. _:Pot, meet kettle,:_ he chirped, biting back a grin.

 _:I beg your pardon?:_ Bakura cried. _:What's that suppose to mean?:_

 _:Nothing. Nothing.:_

Ryou did his best to smother his amusement in favor of staring at the ceiling above them. It wasn't all gold, but damn if it wasn't at least covered in gold. Mostly. Ryou could see a few places that weren't covered in gold but that didn't make the intricate, overly detailed workmanship any less gaudy.

 _:Honestly, at least the Egyptians knew when to **stop,** :_ Bakura commented _._

Ryou ignored the spirit, narrowed his eyes, and glanced to their left. The style of the room they were currently hanging out in-

 _:Really, Ryou? Puns? Now?:_

-was incredibly high class. With all of the gold and ridiculously opulent detail-work, the room wouldn't have been out of place in a Baroque-era palace. A glance to their right showed just more of the same. There was so much gold that, to be honest, Ryou was beginning to wonder if this was mostly for show rather than practicality.

 _:Gold was never practical for anything besides decoration, anyway,:_ Bakura put in. _:It works for magic, though.:_

 _:But there aren't any Shadows,:_ Ryou whispered, shivering as the creeping feeling of cold began to inch its way into his soul.

 _:No. There aren't.:_

Ryou took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He focused on relaxing his body muscle by muscle just like Bakura had taught him. If he could banish at least some of the tension in his body, then it would allow his mind to think more clearly.

"Ah, awake I see."

 _:What the-?!:_

Both Ryou and Bakura let their head hang to see the person who had somehow snuck up on them. How by Osiris black heart had _that_ happened? They were slipping.

The person was a young man, probably no older than Kaiba in appearance. But both Ryou and Bakura knew appearances could be deceiving. The man's hair was a soft brown highlighted by honey-gold in the light of the room. His eyes were a light brown speckled by flecks of green that sparkled when he smiled. He wore a simple black shirt and dark brown pants accented by silver necklaces. His long sleeves were covered in gray and black designs matching the fabric draped over his left shoulder like a toga. It was odd.

Then again, everything look odd right now. Ryou was looking at the man upside down because he couldn't change positions. This was going to be murder on his neck.

The man smiled and Ryou decided he didn't like him.

"I apologize for the indelicateness of your arrival, but I assure you, it was necessary," the man said. "Normally, I would rather not use Keepers. But I had no other way to retrieve you safely."

 _:Oh, by Osiris. He talks like the Pharaoh,:_ Bakura groaned.

Ryou just blinked and kept his mouth shut.

"Can you speak?" the man asked, tilting his head curiously. "I don't mean to pry, but I'm afraid I must ask."

Ryou frowned and said nothing.

After a few moments of silence, the man sighed. "You must understand, Alsien is one of my best researchers and a dear friend," he said. "When he told me his son was in danger, I could not stand by and do nothing."

 _All-seen…?_

Ryou blinked. "I don't… Who are you talking about?" he asked hesitantly.

This time, it was the man who frowned in confusion. "Alsien Ba'kra," he said, as if that clarified everything. "You… You don't know your own father's name?"

"Ba'kra?" Ryou murmured, his eyes growing wide. "Bak _u_ ra, you mean?"

The man pursed his lips. "Um, well, no," he said slowly. "I suppose you could pronounce it that way, but that isn't correct." Then the man's expression cleared. "Ah. I forgot, you weren't raised here." He smiled and his eyes sparkled. "Your accent is not one I have ever heard before so perhaps you are saying his name correctly and I simply can't tell. Forgive me," he said, bowing politely. "I was told your name is Riyuoh. Is that true?"

"It's Ryou," the Scribe corrected with a frown.

"My apologies, once again," the man said, smiling. A slight flush colored his cheeks as he hesitantly approached the still floating boy. "It would appear our accents will cause some confusion for a while."

"Maybe," Ryou agreed, turning his head to follow the man's progress through the room. "Who are you?"

"Oh! Goodness, my manners seem to have escaped me," the man said, flustered. "I am Titus Abrasax, Second Primary of the House of Abrasax. As the son of one of my best employees, you are under my protection as a guest, of course."

Ryou eyed the man warily. "My- I don't know who you are," he said.

Titus smiled ruefully. "I am aware," he said. "If it means anything, I don't know much about you, as well. Alsein could tell me very little of the time since he vanished."

"I still don't understand what you're talking about," Ryou admitted.

Titus nodded. "I suppose this would be a lot to take in so suddenly," he murmured. Louder, he said, "I'll try to explain what I know, but then you should continue to rest. From what I understand, inter-reality travel can wreak havoc on the body."

"Inter- What?: Ryou gasped, his eyes bulging in shock.

 _:What by Osiris unholy fire?!:_ came Bakura's equally stunned cry from within Ryou's mind.

"Yes," Titus said, a small smile playing on his lips. "In short, your father was one of my best researchers," Titus said. "He went missing almost fifteen standard years ago while studying a planet far from here. When we heard what had happened, we thought he had…" He bowed his head to hide his face and take a deep breath before continuing. "We thought him dead," he finished quietly.

"We?" Ryou asked hesitantly.

Titus nodded. "My siblings and I," he said. "But then your father reappeared, alive and well a year or so ago. He wasn't able to tell us much of where he'd been before he left again, but it was enough to give me hope." Titus shook his head in awe. "Your father is an amazing man, Riyuoh," he said proudly.

"It's Ryou," the Scribe murmured, trying to absorb the sudden influx of information.

"Ah, Ryou. My mistake," Titus corrected. "I seem to be apologizing quite often and we've only just met." He smiled, laughter dancing in his eyes. "It's just, I've always known you as Riyuoh so this change will take some time to get used to. Will you forgive a few slips of the tongue?"

 _Always known…?_

"How long have you known me?" Ryou asked, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer. "I don't remember ever meeting you before."

Titus's smile softened. "Well, we've never met face to face," he admitted, "but I was aware of you from before your father vanished. He spoke of you often in his reports. He was always proud of you."

 _Then why did he always leave me alone?_

"Last I heard," Titus said thoughtfully, "your sister was still a babe in arms. How is she? Alsien would not tell me much."

Ryou swallowed against the welling emotion. "She's dead," he said. "She was with my mother when…"

A heavy sadness filled Titus's vulnerable brown gaze and he bowed his head. "I seem to have put my foot in my mouth once more," he murmured. "You have my deepest condolences. To lose both a mother and a sibling..." He shook his head. "It's not something I ever wish to experience again. Nor would I wish it on my darkest enemy."

Ryou narrowed his eyes suspiciously, feeling Bakura's distrust leak into his mind. "I can think of a few people I could wish that on," Ryou said, studying Titus's reactions closely. He could feel Bakura start muttering names in his head.

"You can?" Titus said, snapping his head up to stare at Ryou in horror.

Despite both Ryou and Bakura's misgivings, Titus looked genuinely horrified by the thought of murder. Eventually, Titus sighed stepped back obviously not sure what to say next.

"I suppose things are different in the world you grew up in," Titus said softly. "But here, murder isn't…" He licked his lips. "It would be best if you refrained from doing anything drastic, shall we say."

Ryou just lifted an eyebrow and gave Titus a flat stare. "You do realize I'd take you more seriously if you let down from here, right?" he said.

Titus shook his head. "I can't do that," he said. "In this case, I defer to my doctor and she has declared you should remain as you are until this evening just to be sure you're clean of all foreign contagions."

"Foreign… I'm sick?" Ryou asked, glancing down at his body in confusion. He couldn't feel any pain nor did he feel sick.

"Not from what we know of your people, no," Titus said. "But we both have completely different sets of immune systems. It traditional to have ensure everyone interactions between my people and other races don't potentially get each other sick." His smile turned grim. "We learned the hard way a long time ago that sometimes a casual encounter can spark the eradication of an entire race. This," he gestured to Ryou's hovering form, "is just a precaution. As soon as the doctor is give the all-clear, you'll be released. You have my word."

 _:So he says,:_ Bakura mumbled for Ryou's ears only.

"I'll take your word for it, then," Ryou said with a sigh. "It's not like I have much of a choice," he added just loud enough for Titus to hear.

Their host grimaced. "I could send your father in here while you wait, if you wa-"

"No!" Bakura said sharply startling both Ryou and Titus.

 _:Wha-:_ Ryou gasped, staggering from the force of being slammed back from control. _:'Kura?:_

"I don't want to see that bastard," Bakura hissed.

"I-" Titus tilted his head in honest confusion. "Alright," he said. "I don't have to let him in. I just thought you would want to see him."

"I'm not interested in seeing someone who tried to kill me when I'm unable to fight back," Bakura said, twisting Ryou's face into a furious scowl.

"Kill…" Titus breathed an incredulous laugh. "Alsien wouldn't- I find your claims hard to believe."

"Believe what you want, bastard," Bakura sneered.

 _:'Kura!:_ Ryou cried.

"It doesn't change the fact that he stabbed me in the back, literally," Bakura finished. He glared at a dumbfounded Titus before deliberately looking away, effectively ending the conversation.

Titus didn't move for a good few seconds before he finally stepped away from the blue light that held Ryou suspended. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't know. I'll have my assistant keep Alsein away you until you're ready. Rest well."

Without another word, Titus swept out of the room. Ryou waited until he heard the hiss of the door sliding shut behind their host before groaning.

"Was that really necessary?" he said aloud.

 _:Yes, it was,:_ Bakura said.

 _:But I **want** to see him,:_ Ryou said, feeling tears prick his eyes.

 _:By Osiris snout, why?!:_

 _:Because he's my **father!** : _Ryou said desperately.

 _:He tried to **kill** you,:_ Bakura hissed. _:I'm not letting him anywhere near you. At least not until we can either run or defend ourselves. Preferably the latter.:_

 _:Preferably the former, you mean,:_ Ryou argued.

The spirit growled. _:What part of 'he tried to kill you' do you not understand?:_ he demanded angrily.

 _:I understand all of it,:_ Ryou said softly.

He closed his eyes in the waking world and opened them in his soul room. Light from a remembered sun filtered in through the lone window above a low bed. The former spirit of the Ring stood by was positively fuming. His carmine eyes gleamed furiously.

"I understand all of it," Ryou repeated, approaching Bakura's soul manifestation. "But he _is_ still my father."

"Which makes what he did even _worse!"_ Bakura snapped, meeting Ryou's gentle brown eyes with his own glare.

"Yes, it does," Ryou agreed. "Which is why I want to ask him why he did it. I want to know why. I _deserve_ to know why, 'Kura. And I won't let anyone, not even you, stop me from getting an answer."

Bakura snarled. "Fine," he said. "But only if I'm allowed to kill him afterwards."

"No, you can't kill him," Ryou said sternly. "If anyone's going to kill my father, it's going to be me."

That got a reaction from the former spirit. Bakura turned startled red eyes to Ryou's and frowned. For a moment, neither spoke.

"Oh, fine, whatever," the Thief grumbled. "But you had better make it painful."

Ryou sighed, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He leaned forward so his body rested against the Thief's and wrapped his arms around Bakura's back. The spirit made no move to chastise him or push him away. Instead, Bakura returned the gesture, reaching up to grasp Ryou's shoulders. It was as much as Ryou knew he would get at the moment. They were both too high strung to offer anything more.

But it was the thought that counted. Perhaps that was why Ryou could finally allow himself to cry.

* * *

When he woke up, he felt rested and lethargic. Small arms looped around his shoulders and the soothing rhythm of a steady heartbeat pulsed under his ear. He didn't have to open his eyes to know who held him. There was only one person alive who felt like home.

Mokuba.

His lips twitched up at the corners. Mokuba's embrace was warm and safe. Lifting a hand, Kaiba grasped one of his little brother's arms and squeezed gently. If Mokuba was here, then Kaiba had a reason to open his eyes.

When he did, he was surprised to find it dim. He wasn't inside, that much he knew. Kaiba could feel the gentle breeze on his face. The space immediately around him was dark but some light filtered in from above. The light had a silvery-blue quality to it that was both comforting and familiar. Why…?

Reluctantly, Kaiba pushed himself up to his hands and knees. He smiled when his little brother made an aborted motion to grab him and pull him back. He caught the smaller hand in his own and ran his thumb over it. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss on Mokuba's black hair. That unruly mop was beginning to get much too tangled. Kaiba would have to talk his brother into getting a haircut later.

Sitting up, Kaiba bumped his head against the roof of their little cave. Curiously, it wasn't hard. It was soft and gave when pressed. Turning his head, Kaiba regarded the sight curiously. When his blue eyes settled on the silver-blue flesh, Kaiba stiffened. He recognized it.

It was one of Kisara's wings.

Seth, still groggy from the deep, healing sleep, suddenly surged to the forefront of Kaiba's mind just short of taking control. Kisara was here, now. She was theirs again. Both Kaiba and Seth could feel her energy thrumming in Kaiba's Deck like heartbeat. But neither of them remembered summoning the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Had they done it in before they drifted off to sleep? Or had she summoned herself?

 _:Did you sleep well?:_

Di- Wha- How? Kaiba felt his throat tighten with an emotion he didn't dare identify. Whoever was mimicking _her_ voice… He would kill them.

 _:Don't say that,:_ that painfully familiar voice chided.

He made a choking noise that was almost a sob. Dear Ra, if this was a dream, Kaiba wasn't sure if he ever wanted to wake up. The former High Priest was just as dumbfounded as Kaiba. Their emotions welling within them was almost too much.

She could talk. Obelisk, God of the Balance, Kisara could speak to them once more. It was beautiful. Kaiba often dreamt of her voice, wondering if he would ever hear it with his own ears. He remembered what it sounded like from Seth's memories, but the reality was so much better. It made his heart ache.

 _:Seto,:_ she whispered, and damn if he didn't whimper.

Sadness that was neither his nor Seth's pressed against their shared minds accompanied by a wellspring of love and adoration. The wing before them lifted, revealing the clear night sky. Moonlight glimmered over Kisara's breathtaking scales, only to flicker and fade when the wing faded away.

"No," they pleaded, their eyes pinned to the vanishing wing. "Don't leave me. Kisara. Kisara, please."

Tears fell freely from their cheeks. This was trick; a cruel, vindictive trick. She couldn't do that. She couldn't _talk_ to them for the first time in 5,000 years and then _leave_. Their hearts couldn't take it. But the wing was gone now, like mist over a glassy lake. Don't leave.

"I won't."

Arms wrapped around their shoulders, gripping his chest with dull fingernails. Soft hair tickled their neck and draped over their arms. A warm chest pressed against their back. Lips brushed the juncture of their neck and shoulder.

"Never."

"This isn't real," they whispered.

"It is," she whispered back.

They shook their head. They couldn't… "It can't be." It was plea for mercy. They had lost so much. Their dream of giving her a body once more was all they ever wanted. If this was a trick, someone kill them.

The arms around them tightened, the dull nails digging into his chest. "Don't say that," she said, desperately. "It's not a trick. Please, believe me. My boys. My precious boys."

If… If this was real, then they had to see. They had to see her.

They swallowed against the gnawing fear in their gut and turned their head. They were met by the purest, most beautiful shade of blue they had ever seen. They knew those eyes. They could never forget them. The very idea was blasphemous.

Her face was paler than they remembered, but so were they. Her hair was longer too and shone a soft silver-blue like the wings of the Blue White Dragon. Her pale pink lips were part in as she breathed. _Breathed._ She was alive.

They needed to see more. They turned in her embrace, planted their hands on either side of her face. Their fingers wove through her hair, their thumbs traced her cheek bones, and they still couldn't believe it. The flush in her cheeks and the steady rise and fall of her chest assured them she was very much alive. She was smiling even though tears sparkled in the moonlight. No. No, she shouldn't cry. She should _never_ cry.

They wiped the tears from her eyes with their thumbs. They couldn't speak. They could barely think. Was this real? It felt real. They could only stare at her awe as fumbling thoughts tumbled through their minds. This was real. This was really _real._

"Kisara?" It was barely a whisper. Their voice cracked like thin ice. Please… Please be-

"Seth," she replied, her voice deep and just as heavy with emotion as theirs. "Seto." She reached up and covered their hands with her own. "My boys." They sobbed. "My precious boys."

"Kisara."

They couldn't look away from her eyes. They didn't want to, ever. Never again. They would never lose her again. She was _theirs._

"And you are mine," she said softly.

It was a promise. One none of them would break.


End file.
